The Celtics staff had a serious talk with Jason Tatum after losing two games to the Miami Heat in the opening game of the Eastern Conference Finals. Tatum remained focused on the mission of winning four of the five games in the series, even though he did not perform well in the fourth quarter. While Celtics’ coach Joe Mazzurra stuck to his game plan, the Heat made adjustments during the game that the Celtics were not prepared for, including zone defense.
The Celtics were plagued by turnovers in the fourth quarter of both games, allowing the Heat to capitalize on their mistakes. Additionally, Miami scored 70 points from 18 offensive rebounds and 30 Celtics turnovers in two games. Grant Williams was added to the lineup, but sparked controversy by taunting Jimmy Butler, which resulted in an altercation and a technical foul.
Ultimately, the Heat proved to be stronger both mentally and physically when under pressure, while the Celtics struggled to maintain their leads and limit turnovers. The Celtics now face the challenge of winning four of their next five games, and may need to win every game decisively. Although their confidence may be waning, the Celtics must remain focused and prepared to play their best basketball.